Method and apparatus to deploy fiber optic based access networks

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatus to deploy fiber optic based access networks are disclosed. An example access network comprises a first fiber optic cable segment to couple an optical access head-end to a first pedestal and to transport user data, a second fiber optic cable segment to couple the first pedestal to a second pedestal and to transport a first portion of the user data to the second pedestal, a drop cable segment to couple the first pedestal to a customer premises and to transport a second portion of the user data to the customer premises, and a switch at the first pedestal to route the first portion of the user data between the first and second fiber optic cable segments and to route the second portion of the user data between the first fiber optic cable segment and the drop cable segment.

PRIORITY APPLICATION

This patent arises from a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/268,209, filed on Nov. 10, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,275,262,entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DEPLOY FIBER OPTIC BASED ACCESSNETWORKS,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to access networks and, moreparticularly, to methods and apparatus to deploy fiber optic basedaccess networks.

BACKGROUND

Communication systems using fiber optic technologies are commonlyutilized to provide high data rate communication services to customerpremises. In some examples, a communication company and/or serviceprovider installs a fiber optic cable between a central office (CO), aremote terminal (RT) or a serving area interface (SAI) and a customerpremises to provide communication services to the customer premises. Inother examples, a single fiber optic cable installed between a CO, RT orSAI and a pedestal is used to provide communication services from thepedestal to one or more customer premises.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an example fiber optic basedaccess network constructed in accordance with the teachings of thisdisclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example manner of implementing a distributor forthe example distributed digital subscriber line access multiplexer(DSLAM) of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example manner of implementing an upstreamcommunication interface module or a downstream optical communicationinterface module for the example distributor of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example process that may be carried out to installa fiber optic based access network.

FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate example fiber optic based access networks thatmay result from the example process of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example methods and apparatus to deploy fiber optic based accessnetworks in brown field environments are disclosed. A disclosed exampleaccess network includes a first fiber optic cable segment to couple anoptical access head-end to a first pedestal, the first fiber optic cablesegment to transport user data associated with a plurality ofsubscribers served by the optical access head-end, a second fiber opticcable segment to couple the first pedestal to a second pedestal, thesecond fiber optic cable segment to transport a first portion of theuser data associated with a first of the plurality of subscribers fromthe first pedestal to the second pedestal, the second fiber optic cablesegment different from the first fiber optic cable segment, a drop cablesegment to couple the first pedestal to a customer premises, the dropcable segment to transport a second portion of the user data associatedwith a second of the plurality of subscribers to the customer premises,the drop cable segment different from the first and second fiber opticcable segments, and a switch at the first pedestal to route the firstportion of the user data between the first and second fiber optic cablesegments and to route the second portion of the user data between thefirst fiber optic cable segment and the drop cable segment.

Another disclosed example access network includes an optical accesshead-end to implement communication services for respective ones of aplurality of subscribers, a first pedestal and a second pedestal. Thefirst pedestal including a first communication interface module tocommunicatively couple the first pedestal to the optical access head-endvia a first fiber optic cable segment, the first fiber optic cablesegment to transport user data associated with the plurality ofsubscribers served by the optical access head-end, a secondcommunication interface module to communicatively couple the firstpedestal to a second fiber optic cable segment, the second fiber opticcable segment to transport a first portion of the user data, a thirdcommunication interface module to communicatively couple the firstpedestal to a first customer premises and to transport a second portionof the user data associated with a first of the plurality of subscribersto the first customer premises, and a first switch to route the firstportion of the user data between the first and second communicationinterface modules and to route the second portion of the user databetween the first and third communication interface modules. The secondpedestal including a fourth communication interface module tocommunicatively couple the first pedestal to the second pedestal via thesecond fiber optic cable segment, a fifth communication interface moduleto communicatively couple the second pedestal to a second customerpremises and to transport a third portion of the user data associatedwith a second of the plurality of subscribers to the second customerpremises, the second portion of the user data comprising the thirdportion of the user data, and a second switch to route the third portionof the user data between the fourth and fifth communication interfacemodules.

A disclosed example method to deploy a fiber optic based access networkin a brown field environment includes receiving a first request for afirst communication service to a first customer premises, installing afirst fiber optic cable segment between an optical access head-end and afirst pedestal associated with the first customer premises, the firstfiber optic cable segment routed through a second pedestalgeographically located between the optical access head-end and the firstpedestal, installing a first distributor at the first pedestal to routefirst data between the first fiber optic cable segment and the firstcustomer premises, receiving a second request for a second communicationservice to a second customer premises associated with the secondpedestal, the second request received subsequent to the installation ofthe first fiber optic cable segment and the first distributor, splittingthe first fiber optic cable segment at the second pedestal to formsecond and third fiber optic cable segments, and installing a seconddistributor at the second pedestal between the second and third fiberoptic cable segments, the second distributor to route second databetween the second fiber optic cable segment, the third fiber opticcable segment and the second customer premises.

A disclosed example apparatus includes a first interface module at afirst pedestal to receive user data associated with a plurality ofsubscribers served by an optical access head-end via a first fiber opticcable segment, a second interface module at the first pedestal totransport a first portion of the user data to a second pedestal via asecond fiber optic cable segment, the second fiber optic cable segmentdifferent from the first fiber optic cable segment, a third interfacemodule at the first pedestal to transport a second portion of the userdata associated with a first of the plurality of subscribers to acustomer premises, and a switch at the first pedestal to route the firstportion of the user data between the first and second communicationinterface modules and to route the second portion of the user databetween the first and third communication interface modules.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example fiber optic based access network 100. Inthe illustrated example of FIG. 1, an optical access head-end, such as aserving area interface (SAI) 105, a remote terminal (RT) or a centraloffice (CO), provides and/or implements communication services for oneor more customer premises, two of which are designated at referencenumerals 110 and 111. Example services include, but are not limited to,telephone services, Internet-based services, data services, messagingservices, instant messaging services, electronic mail (email) services,chat services, video services, video on demand services, audio services,and/or gaming services. While for ease of discussion the followingexamples are described with reference to the example SAI 105, it will beunderstood that any type of optical access head-end could be usedincluding, but not limited to, an RT or a CO.

The example SAI 105 of FIG. 1 provides the services to the examplecustomer premises 110 and 111 via any number of interposed pedestals oraerial terminals, two of which are designated at reference numerals 115and 116. To implement the example access network 100, the example SAI105, the example pedestal 115 and the example pedestal 116 of FIG. 1 areconfigured in a daisy-chain topology. In particular, a first fiber opticcable segment 120 is used to communicatively couple the example SAI 105to the example pedestal 115, and a second fiber optic cable segment 121is used to communicatively couple the example pedestal 115 to theexample pedestal 116, and a third fiber optic cable segment 122 is usedto communicatively couple the example pedestal 116 to another pedestal(not shown). The example fiber optic cable segments 120-122 of FIG. 1are disjoint segments and/or portions of fiber optic cable, whichcollectively communicatively couple the SAI 105 to each of the pedestals115-117. The example fiber optic cable segment 120 of FIG. 1 transportsuser data associated with all of the subscribers served by the pedestals115 and 116. The example fiber optic cable segment 121 of FIG. 1transports user data associated with all of the subscribers served bythe pedestal 116 and any additional pedestals. The example fiber opticcable segment 122 of FIG. 1 transports user data associated with all ofthe subscribers served by any additional pedestals served by the SAI 105via the fiber optic cable segment 120. The example fiber optic cablesegments 120-122 of FIG. 1 may be any number and/or type(s) of fiberoptic cables. Example types of fiber optic cables include, but are notlimited to, single-mode fiber, multi-mode fiber, multiple wavelength (λ)fiber, and/or cables that include more than one fiber. In some examples,a pedestal (for example, the pedestal 115) may be communicativelycoupled to one or more additional pedestals, one of which is designatedat reference numeral 117 via additional communication paths, one ofwhich is designated at reference numeral 123. The example communicationpath 123 transports user data associated with all of the subscribersserved via the pedestal 117. Additionally or alternatively, a pedestal(for example, the pedestal 116) may be communicatively coupled back tothe SAI 105 via one or more additional fiber optic cable segments (notshown) thereby creating a fiber optic ring that, for example,encompasses the SAI 105 and the pedestals 115-117. Such fiber opticrings may be used to maintain communication services to the pedestals115-117 even when a fiber optic cable segment (for example, the segment120) is severed.

To route data between the fiber optic cable segments 120-123, andbetween the pedestals 115-117 and the customer premises 110-111, each ofthe example pedestals 115 and 116 of FIG. 1 implements a distributor125. As described below in connection with FIG. 2, each of the exampledistributors 125 of FIG. 1 includes a switch and/or hub 205 (FIG. 2) torepeat user data between and/or amongst any two of the fiber optic cablesegments (for example, between the fiber optic cable segments 120 and121), and to add and/or drop user data associated with the customerpremises that are directly communicatively coupled to the distributor125.

As described below in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5, the example accessnetwork 100 of FIG. 1 can be efficiently deployed and/or implemented inso called “brown field” environments. That is, in environments thatalready have existing customer premises 110 and 111 such that theinstallation of the fiber optic cable segments 120-122 could causeproperty disruptions (for example, torn up streets, yards, etc.), and/orrequire large expenditures of the time, labor and/or expense. Moreover,the example access network 100 of FIG. 1 can be installed and/ordeployed incrementally to only those customer premises 110 and 111currently requesting high data rate communication services. Inparticular, by installing fiber optic cable to only those pedestals 115and 116 associated with customer premises 110 and 111 already requestinghigh data rate services, the example access network 100 of FIG. 1 can beinstalled incrementally. By installing the access network 110incrementally, the upfront costs associated with serving early adopters(for example, the first adopter) of high data rate communicationservices can be significantly reduced without limiting and/orrestricting the ability to subsequently deploy and/or offer high datarate communication services to additional customer premises. The exampleaccess network 100 of FIG. 1 may, additionally or alternatively, beefficiently deployed and/or implemented in so called “green field”environments that do not already have existing customer premises.

In contrast, fiber optic based access networks are traditionallydeployed in a brown field environment by first installing at least onefiber optic cable between each of the pedestals 115,116 and the SAI 105regardless of whether any customer premises associated with any of thepedestals 115, 116 have requested high data rate communication services.Thus, considerable expense, time, and/or labor must be expended simplyto serve the very first customer. Moreover, to serve that first customeran entire neighborhood and/or street must undergo the disruption causedby the installation of all of the fiber optic cables.

To provide communication services via the fiber optic cable segment 120,the example SAI 105 includes any number and/or type(s) of opticalinterface modules, one of which is designated at reference numeral 140.The example optical interface module 140 of FIG. 1 receives user datafrom, for example, a communication server (not shown), forms one or moreoptical signals that represent the received user data, and provides theone or more optical signals to the pedestals 115 and 116 via the fiberoptic cable segment 120. Likewise, user data received from the pedestals115 and 115 via the fiber optic cable segment 120 is received by theoptical interface module 140 and provided to the communication server.

The example pedestals 115 and 116 of FIG. 1 provide communicationservices to the customer premises 110 and 111 via respective drop wiresand/or cables, one of which is designated at reference numeral 135.Example drop wires and/or cables 135 include, but are not limited to, atelephone line, a co-axial cable and/or a fiber optic cable. When atelephone line 135 is used, user data may be transported to and/or fromthe customer premises 110 using, for example, Ethernet-based and/ordigital subscriber line (DSL) based signals implemented by acustomer-premises equipment (CPE) device, a customer-premisestransceiver, and/or a residential gateway 145 at the customer premises110 and a CPE communication interface module 210 (FIG. 2) implemented atthe distributor 125. In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, a single dropwire 135 is used to transport user data between the pedestal 115 and thecustomer premise 110. However, multiple drop wires and/or bondingtechnologies could, additionally or alternatively, be used.

While an example access network 100 has been illustrated in FIG. 1, oneor more of the interfaces, data structures, elements, processes and/ordevices illustrated in FIG. 1 may be combined, divided, re-arranged,omitted, eliminated and/or implemented in any other way. Further, theexample distributors 125, the example optical interface module 140and/or the example transceiver 145 of FIG. 1 may be implemented byhardware, software, firmware and/or any combination of hardware,software and/or firmware. Thus, for example, any of the exampledistributors 125, the example optical interface module 140 and/or theexample transceiver 145 may be implemented by one or more device(s),circuit(s), programmable processor(s), application specific integratedcircuit(s) (ASIC(s)), programmable logic device(s) (PLD(s)) and/or fieldprogrammable logic device(s) (FPLD(s)), etc. Further still, an accessnetwork may include interfaces, data structures, elements, processesand/or devices instead of, or in addition to, those illustrated in FIG.1 and/or may include more than one of any or all of the illustratedinterfaces, data structures, elements, processes and/or devices.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example manner of implementing the exampledistributors 125 of FIG. 1. To communicatively couple the distributor125 to a previous and/or upstream daisy-chained element of the exampleaccess network 100 of FIG. 1, the example distributor 125 of FIG. 2includes any number and/or type(s) of upstream optical interfacemodules, one of which is designated at reference numeral 215. Theprevious daisy-chained element can be either (a) the SAI 105 when thepedestal 115-117 that implements the distributor 125 is the closestpedestal 115 to the SAI 105, or (b) another pedestal 115-117. Tocommunicatively couple the distributor 125 to a subsequent, next and/ordownstream daisy-chained element of the example access network 100 ofFIG. 1, the example distributor 125 of FIG. 2 includes any number and/ortype(s) of downstream optical interface modules, one of which isdesignated at reference numeral 220. An example manner of implementingthe example optical interface modules 215 and 220 of FIG. 2 is describedbelow in connection with FIG. 3.

In some examples, the upstream and downstream optical interface modules215 and 220 of FIG. 2 are communicatively coupled via an optical by-pass222 that routes one or more optical signals directly between theinterface modules 215 and 220. For example, when multiple wavelengthsare used on at least one of an optical fiber segment 120-123, a portionof the wavelengths may be bypassed via the example optical bypass 220while remaining wavelengths are converted to conducted electricalsignals to facilitate switching by the example switch 205.

To communicatively couple the distributor 125 to one or more customerpremises 110 and 111, the example distributor 125 of FIG. 2 includes atransceiver and/or CPE communication interface module 210 for eachcustomer premises 110 and 111 served by the distributor 125. The examplecommunication interface module 210 of FIG. 2 transports user data toand/or from the example customer premises 110 using a DSL-based signal,an Ethernet-based signal, an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)signal, a plain old telephone service (POTS) signal, a digital signal 1(DS1) signal, etc. via the drop wire 135. Alternatively, the examplecommunication interface module 210 transports user data to the examplecustomer premises 110 using an optical signal over a fiber optic cable135, and/or via a wireless communication path implemented in accordancewith, for example, an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE) 802.16x (a.k.a., WiMax) technology, a PicoCell technology, awireless access point technology, and/or a FemtoCell technology. Theexample CPE communication interface module and/or transceiver 210 ofFIG. 2 may be implemented, for example, in accordance with any past,present and/or future standard, specification and/or recommendationrelated to the transmission of communication services via wires, cablesor fibers, such as any of the International TelecommunicationsUnion—Telecommunications Sector (ITU-T) G.991.x family ofrecommendations for symmetric DSL (SDSL), the ITU-T G.992.x family ofrecommendations for asymmetric DSL (ADSL), the ITU-T G.993.x family ofrecommendations for very high-speed DSL (VDSL) and VDSL2, the IEEE802.3x family of standards for Ethernet, the ITU-T G.998.x family ofrecommendations for bonding of DSL lines, the IEEE 802.3ad standard forlink aggregation, the ITU-T G.984 recommendation for Gigabit-capablepassive optical networks (GPONs), the IEEE 802.15x family of standards,the IEEE 802.16x family of standards, and/or the IEEE 802.3z1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX or 1000BASE-BX standards for Ethernet overoptical fibers. Additionally or alternatively, the CPE communicationinterface module 220 implements and/or includes an analog telephoneadapter (ATA) to provide a POTS service to a customer premises

To route data between the example interface modules 210, 215 and 220,the example distributor 125 of FIG. 2 includes the example Ethernetswitch and/or Ethernet hub 205. The example Ethernet switch 205 of FIG.2 implements an add/drop multiplexer for the example distributor 125. Inparticular, the example Ethernet switch 205 repeats Ethernet framesand/or packets received via the upstream optical interface module 215 tothe downstream optical interface module 220, and repeats Ethernet framesand/or packets received via the downstream optical interface module 220to the upstream optical interface module 215. The example Ethernetswitch 205 adds Ethernet frames and/or data received from the customerpremises 110 via the example CPE communication interface module 210 tothe Ethernet frames and/or data being transmitted via the upstreamoptical interface module 215 (for example, received from the downstreamoptical interface module 220). Likewise, when Ethernet data and/orframes that are addressed to the transceiver 145 at the customerpremises 110 are received via the upstream optical interface module 215,the example Ethernet switch 205 routes the received Ethernet data and/orframes to the CPE interface module 210 and does not transmit them viathe downstream optical interface module 220.

While an example manner of implementing the example distributors 125 ofFIG. 1 has been illustrated in FIG. 2, one or more of the elements,processes and/or devices illustrated in FIG. 2 may be combined, divided,re-arranged, omitted, eliminated and/or implemented in any other way.Further, the example Ethernet switch 205, the example interface modules210, 215 and 220 and/or, more generally, the example distributor 125 ofFIG. 2 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware and/or anycombination of hardware, software and/or firmware. Thus, for example,any or all of the example Ethernet switch 205, the example interfacemodules 210, 215 and 220 and/or, more generally, the example distributor125 may be implemented by one or more device(s), circuit(s),programmable processor(s), ASIC(s), PLD(s) and/or FPLD(s), etc. Furtherstill, a distributor may include one or more elements, processes and/ordevices in addition to, or instead of, those illustrated in FIG. 2,and/or may include more than one of any or all of the illustratedelements, processes and devices. For example, if a distributor iscoupled to more than one downstream pedestal, the pedestal-baseddistributor may implement a downstream optical interface module 220 foreach downstream pedestal.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example manner of implementing the opticalinterface modules 215 and 220 of FIG. 2. While the example device ofFIG. 3 may be used to implement either of the optical interface modules215 and 220, for ease of discussion, the example device of FIG. 3 willbe referred to as the optical interface module 215. To form, generate,create, transmit, receive, decode, and/or transport optical signals viathe fiber optic cable segment 120, the example upstream communicationinterface module 215 of FIG. 3 implements any type of optical add dropmultiplexer 305. The example optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) 305 ofFIG. 3 routes optical signals received via the example fiber optic cablesegment 120 (FIG. 1) to an optical-to-electrical converter 310 and/or tothe example optical bypass 222 (FIG. 2). Likewise, the example OADM 305routes optical signals received from an electrical-to-optical converter315 and/or from the example optical bypass 222 to the fiber optic cablesegment 120. Where optical signals are routed to and/or received fromwithin the example optical interface module 215 depends on, for example,how optical signals are utilized, allocated and/or provisioned withinthe example access network 100. For example, if a single wavelengthfiber optic cable 120 is used, all optical signals received via thefiber optic cable 120 could converted by the exampleoptical-to-electrical converter 310 and the OADM 305 could beeliminated. Additionally or alternatively, if a multi-wavelength fiberoptic cable 120 is used, one or more wavelengths could be converted viathe example optical-to-electrical converter 310 while additionalwavelengths are bypassed via the optical bypass 222.

The example optical-to-electrical converter 310 of FIG. 3 convertsoptical signals provided by the example OADM 305 into an electrical formsuitable for switching the example switch 205 (FIG. 2). Likewise, theexample electrical-to-optical converter 315 of FIG. 3 convertselectrical signals received from the switch 205 into optical signalssuitable for transport via the fiber optic cable segment 120.

While an example manner of implementing the example optical interfacemodules 215 and 220 of FIG. 2 has been illustrated in FIG. 3, one ormore of the elements, processes and/or devices illustrated in FIG. 3 maybe combined, divided, re-arranged, omitted, eliminated and/orimplemented in any other way. Further, the example OADM 305 and/or theexample converters 310 and 315 of FIG. 3 may be implemented by hardware,software, firmware and/or any combination of hardware, software and/orfirmware. Thus, for example, any or all of the example OADM 305 and/orthe example converters 310 and 315 may be implemented by one or moredevice(s), circuit(s), programmable processor(s), ASIC(s), PLD(s) and/orFPLD(s), etc. Further still, a communication interface module mayinclude one or more elements, processes and/or devices in addition to,or instead of, those illustrated in FIG. 3, and/or may include more thanone of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes and devices.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart representative of example processes thatmay be carried out to deploy a fiber optic based access network in abrown field environment. The example process may also be carried out todeploy a fiber optic based access network in a green field environment.The order of execution of the example blocks of FIG. 4 may be changed,and/or one or more of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated,sub-divided, or combined. Additionally, any or all of the exampleprocess of FIG. 4 may be carried out sequentially and/or carried out inparallel by, for example, different installers and/or technicians. Forease of understanding, the example process of FIG. 4 will be describedwith reference to the illustrated examples of FIGS. 5A-5D.

The example process of FIG. 4 begins when a customer premises 505 (FIG.5A) requests a high data rate communication service requiring a fiberoptic based access network to a pedestal 510 associated with thecustomer premises 505. If the pedestal 510 does not already have aninstalled distributor 125 (block 405), the example process determineswhether the pedestal 510 is already passed with an existing fiber opticcable segment (block 410).

If the pedestal 510 is not passed by an existing fiber optic cable(block 410), a fiber optic cable segment 520 is installed between thepedestal 510 and an SAI 515 or to the closest upstream pedestal to whicha fiber optic cable segment has already been extended (block 415). Asillustrated in FIG. 5A, because the fiber optic cable segment 520 passesa second pedestal 525, the fiber optic cable segment 520 is looped intoand/or passed through the pedestal 525. A distributor 125 is installedat the pedestal 510 (block 420). A CPE communication interface module210 (FIG. 2) is installed and/or activated at the distributor 125 forthe customer premises 505 using either an existing and/or newlyinstalled drop cable 522 (FIG. 1) (block 425). Control then exits fromthe example process of FIG. 4.

Returning to block 410, if a customer premises 530 (FIG. 5B) associatedwith the example pedestal 525 that is already passed by the fiber opticcable 520 requests a high data rate communication service requiring afiber optic based access network to the pedestal 525 (block 410), thefiber optic cable segment 520 is tapped into and/or split into two fiberoptic cable segments 535 and 540 (block 430). A distributor 125 is theninstalled at the pedestal 525 between the fiber optic cable segments 535and 540, as shown in FIG. 5B (block 420). In some examples, when thefiber optic cable segment 520 is looped into and/or passed through theexample pedestal 525 (see FIG. 5A), the example fiber optic cablesegment 520 is cut at the pedestal 525 and optical connectors areinstalled. The optical connectors are then attached to a pass-throughand/or passive optical device to construct the example topology of FIG.5A. As illustrated in FIG. 5B, such pre-installed connectors canfacilitate the subsequent installation of a distributor 125 at thepedestal 525.

Returning to block 405, if a customer premises 550 (FIG. 5C) associatedwith the example pedestal 510 already having an installed distributor125 requests a high data rate communication service requiring a fiberoptic based access network to the pedestal 510 (block 405), a CPEcommunication interface module 210 (FIG. 2) is installed and/oractivated at the distributor 125 for the customer premises 550 usingeither an existing and/or newly installed drop cable 555 (FIG. 1) (block425). Control then exits from the example process of FIG. 4.

As illustrated in FIG. 5D, if a customer premises 570 associated with apedestal 560 not having a distributor 125 (block 405) and not alreadyserved by a fiber optic cable (block 410) requests a high data ratecommunication service requiring a fiber optic based access network tothe pedestal 560, a fiber optic cable segment 565 is installed betweenthe pedestal 560 and the closest upstream pedestal 510 to which a fiberoptic cable segment has already been extended (block 415), and adistributor installed at the pedestal 560. If the fiber optic cablesegment 565 passes another pedestal, the fiber optic cable segment 565would be looped into and/or passed through the passed pedestal.

Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacturehave been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is notlimited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods,apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope ofthe appended claims either literally or under the doctrine ofequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An access network comprising: a first fiber opticcable segment to couple an optical access head-end to a first pedestal,the first fiber optic cable segment to transport user data associatedwith a plurality of subscribers served by the optical access head-end; asecond fiber optic cable segment to couple the first pedestal to asecond pedestal, the second fiber optic cable segment to transport afirst portion of the user data associated with a first of the pluralityof subscribers from the first pedestal to the second pedestal, thesecond fiber optic cable segment different from the first fiber opticcable segment; a drop cable segment to couple the first pedestal to afirst customer premises, the drop cable segment to transport a secondportion of the user data associated with a second of the plurality ofsubscribers to the first customer premises, the drop cable segmentdifferent from the first and second fiber optic cable segments; and aswitch at the first pedestal to route the first portion of the user databetween the first and second fiber optic cable segments and to route thesecond portion of the user data between the first fiber optic cablesegment and the drop cable segment.
 2. An access network as defined inclaim 1, wherein the switch comprises at least one of an Ethernet switchor an Ethernet hub, and the user data is packetized in accordance withan Ethernet protocol.
 3. An access network as defined in claim 1,wherein the drop cable segment is implemented in accordance with atleast one of a digital subscriber line specification, a digitalsubscriber line standard or a digital subscriber line recommendation. 4.An access network as defined in claim 1, wherein the drop cable segmentcomprises an optical fiber.
 5. An access network as defined in claim 1,wherein the drop cable segment is implemented in accordance with anEthernet protocol.
 6. An access network as defined in claim 1, whereinthe optical access head-end comprises at least one of a serving areainterface, a remote terminal or a central office.
 7. An access networkas defined in claim 1, wherein the switch comprises an add-dropmultiplexer.
 8. An access network as defined in claim 1, wherein theswitch adds the first portion of the user data to the second portion ofthe user data and routes the first and second portions of the user datato the first fiber optic cable segment.
 9. An access network as definedin claim 1, wherein the drop cable segment is a first drop cablesegment, and further comprising a second drop cable segment to couplethe second pedestal to a second customer premises, the second drop cablesegment to transport a third portion of the user data associated with athird of the plurality of subscribers to the second customer premises,the second drop cable segment different from the first and second fiberoptic cable segments and different from the first drop cable segment.10. An access network as defined in claim 9, wherein the switchcomprises a first switch, and further comprising a second switch at thesecond pedestal to route the third portion of the user data between thesecond fiber optic cable segment and the second drop cable segment. 11.A method comprising: coupling an optical access head-end to a firstpedestal via a first fiber optic cable segment, the first fiber opticcable segment to transport user data associated with a plurality ofsubscribers served by the optical access head-end; coupling the firstpedestal to a second pedestal via a second fiber optic cable segment,the second fiber optic cable segment to transport a first portion of theuser data associated with a first of the plurality of subscribers fromthe first pedestal to the second pedestal, the second fiber optic cablesegment different from the first fiber optic cable segment; coupling thefirst pedestal to a first customer premises via a first drop cablesegment, the first drop cable segment to transport a second portion ofthe user data associated with a second of the plurality of subscribersto the first customer premises, the first drop cable segment differentfrom the first and second fiber optic cable segments; routing the firstportion of the user data between the first and second fiber optic cablesegments via a first switch; and routing the second portion of the userdata between the first fiber optic cable segment and the first dropcable segment via the first switch.
 12. A method as defined in claim 11,wherein the first switch comprises at least one of an Ethernet switch oran Ethernet hub, and the user data is packetized in accordance with anEthernet protocol.
 13. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein thefirst drop cable segment is implemented in accordance with at least oneof a digital subscriber line specification, a digital subscriber linestandard or a digital subscriber line recommendation.
 14. A method asdefined in claim 11, wherein the first drop cable segment comprises anoptical fiber.
 15. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the firstdrop cable segment is implemented in accordance with an Ethernetprotocol.
 16. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the opticalaccess head-end comprises at least one of a serving area interface, aremote terminal or a central office.
 17. A method as defined in claim11, wherein the first switch comprises an add-drop multiplexer.
 18. Amethod as defined in claim 11, wherein the first switch adds the firstportion of the user data to the second portion of the user data androutes the first and second portions of the user data to the first fiberoptic cable segment.
 19. A method as defined in claim 11, furthercomprising coupling the second pedestal to a second customer premisesvia a second drop cable segment, the second drop cable segment totransport a third portion of the user data associated with a third ofthe plurality of subscribers to the second customer premises, the seconddrop cable segment different from the first and second fiber optic cablesegments and different from the first drop cable segment.
 20. A methodas defined in claim 19, further comprising routing the third portion ofthe user data between the second fiber optic cable segment and thesecond drop cable segment via a second switch at the second pedestal.